Status report sought from NHAI, state excise depts

Taking cognisance of a contempt petition filed by NGO on road safety ArriveSAFE Society, the Punjab and Haryana high court on Thursday summoned the status report from the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the departments of excise and taxation of Punjab and Haryana with regard to liquor vends on the highways

Taking cognisance of a contempt petition filed by NGO on road safety ArriveSAFE Society, the Punjab and Haryana high court on Thursday summoned the status report from the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the departments of excise and taxation of Punjab and Haryana with regard to liquor vends on the highways.

The petition filed by ArriveSAFE Society alleged that despite directives from the Punjab and Haryana high court, the departments of excise and taxation of Punjab and Haryana had issued licences for running liquor vends on the national highway.

The petition will now come up for hearing on November 27 when the NHAI and departments of excise and taxation of Punjab and Haryana will file a detailed status report.

The petitioner had moved the high court seeking removal of the vends from highways.The bench on March 18 maintained that these vends should not be visible from the highways.